Ferret Owners - Farents

Getting Rid of Ferret Smell - how can it be done?

Ferrets are wonderful creatures but unfortunately they come with a negative trait...ferret smell!

The smell can vary in intensity depending on a few factors.
These are:

Whether your ferret has been de-sexed or not - this will probably make the biggest difference to a ferrets smell. A de-sexed ferret whether male or female will smell considerably less!

Whether your ferret is an indoor or outdoor ferret - outdoor ferrets have more opportunities to get dirty therefore they will smell more.

Use the CritterZone Air Purifier (special $10 discount for Ferret-World people - just enter coupon code 'FerretWorld' at checkout - I am currently using the Air Purifier and it works really well for clearing the air. I also make sure that I frequently air out my house (open all the doors and windows to let fresh air in). That and the air purifier, changing the ferrets bedding regularly, cleaning the ferrets cage everyday gets rid of the smell really effectively. I have some friends that always comment on the ferrets smell but recently (since getting the Air Purifier) I have not had any negative comments at all...must be doing its job! Remember to get your $10 discount by entering the coupon code 'FerretWorld' at checkout when you
purchase the air purifier.

How often do you bathe your ferret? - this may come as a bit of a suprise to some of you...the more you bathe your ferret the more it will stink! Yep...that's right...ferret smell inensifies with each bath because all the protective oils get washed out during the bath. This means that the oil glands will go into overdrive in order to replace them and this is what creates more smell. Bathing your ferret too often can also lead to skin irritation and problems.

Washing their bedding and changing the cage - ferret smell actually lingers on the ferrets hammocks and blankets which is normally what you smell (because the ferret itself is not actually that smelly if you stick your nose next to him and smell - don't get your nose bitten off!). So therefore, it is essential to wash the ferrets bedding on a two weekly basis and change their litter daily in order to reduce the smell (this makes a huge difference!)

Whether the ferret is de-scented - this is a procedure that involves cutting out the anal glands. I WILL NEVER CONDONE THIS PROCEDURE!!! The reason why I get so passionate about this subject is because the ferrets anal glands produce the extreme ferret smell (eg. when the are scared) very rarely and it is easy to air out (just open a window). The everyday ferret smell (which is what people complain about) actually comes from the oil glands in the skin (all over the ferrets body). Therefore this is a completely unnecessary procedure! In fact in some countries (eg. Australia) it is considered animal cruelty! SO...if you are thinking of getting a ferret...love him for the whole package, SMELL INCLUDED, or get yourself a goldfish! I hear they don't smell...
I personally have nothing against my babies smell and actually find the musky smell quiet nice, but it does bother my housemates and people I invite over and is the main reason people get put off these cute furry creatures. So the search continues!